"I'll be OK," said Mathis, the second-year player from Bethune-Cookman. "I have until Sunday."

That's when the Jaguars will close out the regular season in Oakland, Calif.

Mathis' injury wasn't the only problem Thursday. Coach Jack Del Rio said practice was "just not what it needed to be. I'm not overly pleased with what went on today."

But he said: "We don't play the games on Thursday."

GOING HOME

Del Rio is from the Oakland area and, predictably, has been hit with ticket requests from old friends.

"I tell my buddies that I'll buy tickets as long as they root for my team," Del Rio said. "You know what most say?

" `[Expletive], no.' "

SUPER PREP

Equipment is moving into Alltel Stadium in preparation for changing the turf for the Feb. 6 Super Bowl.

The new turf is coming from a Georgia farm, and the field will be identical to the new fields already installed at the two Super Bowl practice sites, the University of North Florida and Bartram Trail High School.

The installation will begin next week.

DEL RIO LINKED TO LSU

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Louisiana State officials planned to talk with Del Rio this week about a visit to discuss the Tigers' open head-coaching job, but he won't be drawn into a conversation about it.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm only talking about the Oakland Raiders," he said.

SAN FRANCISCO TREAT

The team was happy when they found out they'd be staying in spiffy San Francisco, rather than blue-collar Oakland, but the balloon popped. They're staying at an airport hotel, well away from downtown.